1. Economy
  2. Environment
  3. Polity and Yearbook
  4. Defense & Diplomacy
  5. Geography: Places in News
  6. Comprehension Passage: Gokul Mission (2 MCQ)

Economy

Q. Find correct statement(s) about the E-way bill system of GST.

  1. This is a mechanism to track intra-state and inter-state movements of goods.
  2. It’s compulsory to obtain E-way bill for all types of goods with value exceeding Rs.50,000/-
  3. Separate E-way bills need to be obtained for inter-state trade and intra-state trade.
  4. All of the above.

HINT: Daily consumption items such as curd, vegetable, fish etc. are exempted, even if value exceeds Rs.50k. One e-way bill will be valid throughout the country for the movement of goods, no need for separate bill for interstate / intra-state. Topic in news because inter-state module launched from 1st April 2018 in phase wise manner.

Q. Correct statement(s) about the Global Financial Inclusion (Findex) Database?

  1. This index is prepared by World Bank.
  2. According to the latest index, India has second largest unbanked population in the world.
  3. Both 1 and 2
  4. Neither 1 nor 2

HINT: While guessmaster-giri would suggest that after PM-Jandhan Yojana and Demonetization, the number of bank-clients ought to have increased and therefore #2 ought to be wrong but unlike General Dong, you’re wrong. Both statements are right.

Q. Central GST Act provides for a “GST Consumer welfare fund”. From where does this fund receive money?

  1. It receives money from GST consumer welfare cess which is imposed on luxury goods.
  2. It receives grant from the annual budget of Ministry of consumer welfare.
  3. A certain portion of the GST Compensation Cess is earmarked to this fund.
  4. Undue benefits made by businesses under GST-regime, have to be deposited in this fund, IF the benefit can’t be passed on to an identified recipient.

HINT: Fourth option. Topic in news because Government decided to give part of this fund’s money to state governments as grant for promoting GST awareness.

Q. Correct statement about International SME Convention-2018, organized during 22nd to 24th April.

  1. It’s organized by the MUDRA Bank.
  2. It was organized in Mahatma Mandir at Gandhinagar, Gujarat.
  3. 2018 is the third edition of this convention.
  4. None of the above

HINT: By, Ministry of MSME. First time ever being organized. Venue is Delhi.

Q. In 2016-April, Government of India had setup Banks Board Bureau (BBB). find wrong statement about this entity:

  1. RBI Governor is the ex-officio chairman of this entity.
  2. BBB is responsible for selecting top level officials in public sector banks.
  3. BBB related matters fall under Department of Financial Services under Finance Ministry.
  4. None of the above.

HINT: Bhanu Pratap Sharma (ex-IAS) is the chairman, he replaced Vinod Rai (Ex-CAG , Ex-IAS) in 2018-April. Mind it- you’ve to find wrong statement.

Q. What is “Angel Tax” in the Indian Direct tax regime?

  1. It’s a special type of tax on billionaires who were using charitable trusts to divert their profits.
  2. If large corporates invest in Indian startup, they’ve to pay less tax on their own profit, so such reduced corporation tax is nicknamed “Angel Tax”.
  3. It’s a special type of tax on foreign venture capital funds (VCF) who invest in Indian-startups.
  4. If a startup company receives capital beyond its fair-market value, then such capital is counted as “income from other sources”, and taxed under the Income tax Act, this is nicknamed as “Angel Tax”.

HINT: Earlier, a tax-evader could open a phoney-startup, and get truckload of capital invested in it via foreign entity, and later when such startup’s shares are listed in Indian sharemarket, he’d sell them at very high price to third party (controlled by him), and thus try to convert black money into white. So, In 2012, IT act was amended to ensure that if startups are receiving funding beyond their fair-market value, then there will be tax on such capital. This is nicknamed as “Angel Tax” by the market -jargon. Topic in news, due to some technical reforms in it.

Q. (MCQ for Banking Exams) In which of the following private banks, majority of the shareholding is in the hands of foreigners?

  1. ICICI
  2. HDFC
  3. Axis Bank
  4. All of the above.

HINT: Private bank is defined as a bank where minimum 26% of the shareholding is in the hands of Resident Indians. Maximum FDI limit is 74%. Foreign investors’ shareholding in Axis: 53%, ICICI: 60% and HDFC >51%

Environment

Q. In May 2018, PM Modi is set to inaugurate Kishanganga Hydro Electric project. Find correct statement(s) about this project:

  1. Kishanganga is a tributary of the river Jhelum.
  2. This project is outside the ambit of Indus Water Treaty between India and Pakistan.
  3. Only Jammu and Kashmir will be the recipients of the electricity generated from this project.
  4. All of the Above.

HINT: Only first one is right.

Q. Draft coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) 2018:

  1. It is drafted by the National Green Tribunal (NGT).
  2. It increases the extent of CRZ limits to 500 meters of land at the tidal influenced water bodies.
  3. It forbids temporary tourism facilities such as toilet blocks, change rooms, drinking water facilities etc. on the beaches.
  4. None of the above

HINT: It’s drafted by environment ministry. It reduces CRZ land-extent to 50 meters, and it allows temporary tourism facilities on the beaches. Meaning, all three are wrong.

Polity and Yearbook

Q. Find correct pairs:

  1. Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA): It’s aimed at improving Panchayati raj bodies’ GOVERNANCE capabilities for achieving Sustainable Development Goals. PM Modi launched this on National Panchayati Raj Day (April 24, 2018).
  2. Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (GSA): It is a campaign to promote social harmony, spread awareness about pro-poor initiatives of government, From Ambedkar Jayanti (14th April) to 5th Mary 2018.
  3. Both 1 and 2
  4. Neither 1 nor 2

HINT: Government should stop mentally harassing aspirants with schemes with similar sounding names. Both statements are right. RGSA cost sharing: 60:40 for ordinary states, 90:10 for special category states.

Q. Correct statement(s):

  1. Nai Udaan: scheme for financial support for minority students clearing prelims stage of UPSC, SSC, State PCS.
  2. Naya Savera: scheme for free coaching to the minority students for various competitive exams.
  3. Both Nai Udaan and Naya Savera are run by the Minority Affairs Ministry.
  4. All of the above.

HINT: all correct. Topic in news, by Minority Affairs minister said that because of above schemes more minority candidates have cleared UPSC CSE-2017 than in past.

Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA)
Q. An Individual Lok-Sabha MP can:

  1. Can ask maximum one starred question per day.
  2. Can ask maximum two supplementary questions after his starred question.
  3. Can’t ask any supplementary questions after his unstarred question.
  4. All of the above

HINT: Topic in news, because Gujarat Vidhan Sabha rulebook amended to put ceiling on the starred questions per day by the same member. Anyways, regarding the Lok Sabha- all of the above statements are right.

Q. If an MP wants to get oral answer from a minister, he should submit written question to the Lok Sabha / Rajya Sabha secretariat with:

  1. A single exclamation Mark (!)
  2. Double exclamation marks (!!)
  3. Double question marks (??)
  4. An asterisk mark ( * )

HINT: To seek oral answer, you’ve to ask “Starred question”. So, which of the above signs is matching a “star”?

Q. Under the Representation of People’s Act 1951, a candidate can contest from:

  1. Maximum two Lok Sabha constituencies simultenously in a given election.
  2. Maximum two Rajya Sabha seats simultenously in a given election.
  3. Maximum one Vidhan Sabha seat simultenously in a given election.

Answer Codes:

  1. Only 1 and 2
  2. Only 1
  3. Only 2 and 3
  4. None of the given statements as there are no such restrictions in RPA act.

HINT: Max. two seats from Vidhan Sabha and Lok Sabha. In Rajya Sabha it’s not possible to contest simultenously from two seats because election is held state-wise and there is domicile requirement. तो एक उम्मीदवार दो राज्योका डोमिसाइल कैसे हो सकता है!? Topic in News because EC said in SC that it wants candidates to contest from max.1 seat only, during LS/VS elections. If one person contesting from two seats and winning from both seats then he’ll vacate one seat, it results in 1) betrayal of voters 2) increased cost of conducting by-polls.

Q. Which of the following commissions enjoy Constitutional Status?

  1. National Commission for Scheduled Castes (SC)
  2. National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (ST)
  3. National Commission for Minorities

Answer Codes:

  1. Only 1 and 2
  2. Only 2 and 3
  3. Only 1 and 3
  4. All of them

HINT: In 2018-April, the NCM wrote to Government to grant itself Constitutional status.

Q. In 2018-April, Union Cabinet passed an ordinance (अध्यादेश) to provide for death penalty for the child rape. This ordinance amends which of the following act to implement death penalty?

  1. Indian Penal Code
  2. Criminal Procedure Code
  3. POCSO Act
  4. All of the above

HINT: While this ordinance amends all of the above codes / acts, but the “death penalty for rape / gangrape on woman below the age of 12”- this new provision is added in IPC.

Q. Find correct statement(s) about the POCSO Act?

  1. It was enacted in the year 2012
  2. It deals with sexual offenses on children below the age of 15
  3. POCSO complaints can be filled online in the “e-box” of the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Answer Codes:

  1. Only 1 and 2
  2. Only 2 and 3
  3. Only 1 and 3
  4. All of them

HINT: Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act was enacted in 2012. POSCO provides protection to all children under the age of 18 years from sex-crimes. POCSO e-box is in Ministry of women and child development.

Q. We already have Indian Penal Code (IPC), then why was there a need to enact POSCO Act?

  1. IPC is gender specific i.e. it only deals with sex-crimes against female victims, but not male victims.
  2. IPC doesn’t distinguish between adult victim and child victim in sex-crimes.
  3. Both 1 and 2
  4. Neither 1 nor 2

HINT: IPC is not gender specific in sex-crimes, because it provides punishment for sodomy also, hence male-victims of sex-crimes are covered. if sex-crime victim is a child, IPC doesn’t automatically provide higher penalty to culprit or extra-protection / compensation to victim.

Defense & Diplomacy

Q. In 2018-April, Government of India setup a 13-member taskforce under the Minister of State (Aviation) Jayant Sinha. This taskforce is related to:

  1. To oversee the bidding process for privatization of AirIndia.
  2. To suggest further reforms in the UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam naagrik) Scheme.
  3. To design new norms for aviation-safety.
  4. To prepare a roadmap for drones and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technology in India.

HINT: Drones.

Q. Correct statement(s) about Union Government’s proposed “Defence Planning Committee”?

  1. It’ll be chaired by the Defense Minister.
  2. It’ll be an Ad-hoc Committee.
  3. It’ll prepare India’s defense roadmap for 2022.
  4. None of the above.

HINT: committee will be a permanent body. NSA will be the chief. They’ll prepare India’s military doctrines and defense purchase roadmaps. panel will have four sub-committees, on Policy and Strategy, Plans and Capability Development, Defence Diplomacy, and Defence Manufacturing Ecosystem. Such Committee was tried in 70s also. So, this is not the ‘first time’.

Q. Incorrect statements about the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting (CHOGM)-2018?

  1. Summit’s theme was: ‘Towards a common future’
  2. This summit is organized on annual basis.
  3. Venue for 2018’s event was Dublin, Ireland.

Answer Codes:

  1. Only 1 and 2
  2. Only 2 and 3
  3. Only 1 and 3
  4. All of them

HINT: Commonwealth is a voluntary association of 53 independent countries, almost all of which were formerly under British rule. 2018-summit’s venue was London, theme was: ‘Towards a common future’. It’s organized biannually. Mind it, you’ve to find wrong statements.

Geography: Places in News

Q. The first city in India, where electricity company has to pay compensation to consumers for unscheduled power outages is:

  1. Chandigarh
  2. Ahmedabad
  3. Thiruvanthapuram
  4. New Delhi

HINT: Electricity Act 2003 allows the state electricity regulator to mandate the electricity company to pay for random power outages. Lt. Governor has permitted Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission to make such rules for New Delhi in April 2018.

Q. Which of the following state has drafted a medical policy with provision of compulsory “Vaccination certificate” for the children seeking admission in primary school?

  1. Mizoram
  2. New Delhi
  3. Kerala
  4. Gujarat

HINT: UK was the first country to start mandatory vaccination else find of one pound (1853). Kerala has drafted above policy in 2018-Feb, because last year state government’s Measles-Rubella (MR) vaccination drive was not fully successful due to anti-vaccination / fake news campaigns in social media by Naturopathy doctors.

Q. Correct statements about Cuba?

  1. It shares border with Venezuela and Ecuador.
  2. In 2018, Miguel Diaz-Canel replaced Fidel Castro as the President of Cuba.
  3. Havana and Hawaii are two major cities of Cuba.
  4. None of the above.

HINT: Fidel Castro died in 2016, you know which newspaper held its flag at half-mast and announced office-holiday for mourning. Havana is the Capital of Cuba, whereas Hawaii is a state of USA. Cuba is an Island country and Venezuela and Ecuador are in a different vicinity.

So far, 23 MCQs, so now I’ll draft two RC questions to reach the fabled target of T25

Comprehension Passage: Gokul Mission (2 MCQ)

Rashitrya Gokul Mission aims to raise the productivity of indigenous and nondescript cattle by inseminating these with semen from the “super elite” native bull population of Sahiwal, Gir, Tharparkar, Red Sindhi, Rathi, Kankrej and Hariana breeds. This would mark a departure from the existing strategy, where the milk-yields of nondescript animals has sought to be achieved through crossbreeding with western breeds such as Jersey, Holstein Friesian and Brown Swiss which has shown promising results.

Yet, using an untested strategy, Gokul Mission projects an increase in the country’s in-milk cattle population from 88.35 million in 2015-16 to 116.38 million in 2023-24 at a time when anti-slaughter legislations and rising cow vigilantism has made the management and disposal of unproductive animals a veritable nightmare for farmers.

Q. What’s author’s attitude towards Rashitrya Gokul Mission?

  1. Cynical
  2. Sarcastic
  3. Speculative
  4. Skeptical

HINT: He is not using any adjectives or rhetorical language that can classify this passage as cynical or sarcastic. He’s not speculating the fate of the Mission but rather he’s skeptical about its success.

Q. Author would agree with which of the following points?

  1. India should legalize cow-slaughter and beef-eating.
  2. Brown Swiss cows should be crossbred with Sahiwal bulls.
  3. Tharparkar cows should be crossbred with Jersey bulls.

Answer Codes:

  1. Only 1 and 2
  2. Only 2 and 3
  3. Only 1 and 3
  4. All of them

HINT: Author is skeptical about Gokul Mission’s strategy of “breeding with native bull” to increase milk yields. So, he’d not like #2. Passage reads “…departure from existing strategy, where the milk-yields of nondescript animals through crossbreeding with western breeds.. which has shown promising results.” So, Author would agree to try Tharparkar cows cross-breeding with Jersey bulls. Passage doesn’t have enough details to ascertain whether Author would agree for legalization of cow-slaughter and beef-eating, or not? He only showed concern about how these factors affect unproductive-cattle’s’ disposal- so we should not over-speculate his stand about legalization of those issues.